Kept
by aewriteon
Summary: Nate begins to realize the serious impact that his deal with Catherine is having on his life. Can his friends help him before he's in too deep? COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the show or the characters. Takes place after Gossip Girl episode 2.03, "The Dark Night."

* * *

Nate slid the key card into the door of Catherine's hotel room and was disappointed to see the light turn green and hear the automatic unclicking of the door. Turning the knob, he entered to find a very scantily clad Catherine reclining on the suite's king size bed. Just a month ago, he would have found the whole thing sexy as hell. Now, he was having a hard time masking his discomfort. His heart just wasn't in it. Of course, there was another part of him that was "in it" so damn far that it was hard to think straight.

"Nate!" Catherine said, her voice pleasant but firm. "I'm glad to see that you've arrived on time. I would have hated to charge you a late fee." She grinned a feral grin, one that Nate had come to know all too well. "I hope you like champagne... be a good boy and open the bottle for us, will you?"

"Absolutely," Nate said, mustering up a smile. As soon as his back was turned, his pleasant demeanor slipped away. What the hell was he doing? And how had he possibly ended up here, he asked himself as the champagne cork went flying across the room. He brought Catherine her glass and hesitantly sat down next to her on the bed.

"Now, now, Nate, cheer up. I've been trying to decide all morning what I might be in the mood for, and I'm hoping my choice might inspire some enthusiasm on your part." Nate remained silent, gulping his champagne and avoiding Catherine's gaze. "As exquisite as that shirt looks on you, I'm afraid it's going to have to come off for the next hour or so." Nate still hadn't moved, prompting Catherine to grasp his shirt collar between her well-manicured nails. "Perhaps you didn't hear me, but I think you should start taking this shirt off. Right now."

Nate shrugged her off and turned around as he began to unbutton his shirt. "Turn around, please," Catherine stated. "You know I like to watch." Obligingly, Nate got up from the bed and spun to face her as he slowly finished unbuttoning his shirt. "Undershirt too," Catherine urged. In one quick motion, Nate slid his cotton undershirt over his head and stood before Catherine, naked from the waist up.

Catherine looked at him expectantly, her expression darkening when he made no motion to continue with his undressing. "Is something wrong?"

Crossing his arms defensively across his newly exposed chest, he looked to the floor, then to the Duchess. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Catherine paused. "Well, I might mind, but go ahead."

"Why me? I mean, this..." Nate swallowed hard, "um, thing that I'm giving you, you could get it from anybody, or at least a lot of people... why me?

"I like the packaging," Catherine responded, her lips curving into a smile.

Nate shook his head, wanting more of an explanation. "Come on though... I'm sure there are plenty of young, good-looking guys who would be more than happy to do for you what I'm doing. For free."

"Look at me," Catherine demanded sharply. "Do you think I want cheap? Absolutely not." She gestured to the finely appointed hotel room. "Everything about my life is of the highest caliber, and that includes you."

Nate rolled his eyes. "Please."

"Seriously, Nathaniel," she intoned, stepping closer while looking him up and down, "few people come as pretty as you. Even for a woman of my position, quality this high is hard to find. So is pedigree." _And desperation_, she thought. "Anyway," she continued, "I'd say you've maxed out your question quotient for today." Gently, she pushed him down onto the bed. "Now, how about you put that mouth of yours to better use?"

* * *

More to come later. Thanks for reading! - AE


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the show or the characters. Takes place after Gossip Girl episode 2.03, "The Dark Night."

* * *

Nate set down his toothbrush and spit in the sink again, accidentally catching his own reflection in the mirror before quickly turning away. It was getting tough for him to be in front of a mirror. He'd never been one to really obsess about the way he looked, but he'd have days when he thought he had cleaned up particularly well. Those days had all but disappeared. Anything Catherine liked about his appearance was something he had started to despise. He still went through the motions because he literally couldn't afford to lose her "generosity" (as she referred to it), but anything he did to look better just served as a reminder to him of why he was making such an effort. And that made him sick to his stomach.

Walking quickly from his bathroom to the bedroom, he unzipped his backpack and removed the thick envelope Catherine had sent with him. Before opening it, Nate got up and locked his door. He turned the envelope over and carefully tore the top open. Determined, he slid the stack of bills into his hand and began to count.

Twelve thousand dollars. The extra two grand was a tip, a bonus for a "job well done," she'd said. He had told her she could keep it, that he didn't want it. She'd replied, quite matter-of-factly, that she tipped everyone who provided her a service. "Why should you be any different?" she'd asked him, smirking.

Why, indeed. Except he knew he was worse. He wasn't cutting her hair or walking her dog. He wasn't arranging flowers or preparing food. He was fucking her. For money. Twelve thousand dollars, he repeated to himself. Enough to last the Archibald household, oh, less than a week.

He'd never needed to lie to his mother about it. He almost wished he could have. Thing was, she'd never asked. Not once. Somehow, it never crossed her mind to inquire as to where her 17-year-old was getting thousands of dollars by the week. He knew she assumed he was still getting the money from Chuck. Was his mother really that naive? For that matter, was Chuck so busy chasing after Blair that he didn't see his best friend progressively becoming more secretive and self-loathing? And did the cleaning staff not even notice how fast he was running out of soap and mouthwash?

It was to the point where all the things about Catherine that had initially turned him on had morphed into traits he found repulsive. In his mind, he rationally knew that she was a beautiful woman, but he couldn't even see her as one anymore. To him, she was just a cold, manipulative bitch who knew how to play him all too well. She literally owned his ass and loved reminding him of it. Things that he would have fantasized about doing to her, he now dreaded. When he let himself think too hard about it, which was seldom, he would secretly wonder if he wasn't fucking himself up for life with all this. Detachment was his preferred strategy. Detachment and acting -- because the Duchess liked (nay, demanded) a performance.

Sometimes, though, something in him would slip, and the thought of Vanessa would hit him full-force, often at the most inopportune times. What would she say to him if she was the one lying beneath him instead of Catherine? How would she smell, what would her skin feel like? Vanessa confused him. He truly thought that she could be trusted, that she could somehow help him out of this twisted situation. Instead, she had cut and run, very abruptly and unexpectedly. He hadn't called her, and he was sure he didn't know the whole story, but at this point he didn't even think it was worth it. He was way, way over his head, and he didn't want that for her. The things he was doing made him feel ashamed of himself, and he was afraid to see that shame reflected back at him in Vanessa's eyes, too.

_Beep-Beep._

A text message. Nate picked up his phone. Message from Chuck, the screen told him. "Drinks. Palace. Thursday 7pm." Nate smiled. It had been a while since he and Chuck had just hung out. Chuck would no doubt drink too much and end up trying to hook up with some wide-eyed tourist. On the other hand, Chuck had seemed a little off his game lately. His hang-up on Blair was to blame, Nate was sure. Try as he might, he just couldn't understand that whole situation. Judging by the venom Chuck was spitting Marcus's way, though, Nate could tell he still wanted Blair in a big way.

Recently, however, Nate had read on Gossip Girl that a parade of women had been seen entering the Bass suite and exiting in a very disappointed manner. Thinking about the situation more, Nate frowned. He knew that Chuck enjoyed having sex with a number of women, some of whom were professionals. Hell, Chuck had even tried to get extra girls for Nate at times. Never again, Nate thought. Not after being the one on the other side of it. What pushed people to the point where they'd sell someone their own body for money? He had much clearer ideas now. Desperation. A lack of options. Quick money.

At least he still had a friend in Chuck, though. If he could get through six months of this, Chuck's money would be out of bonds and available to him again. He was sure Chuck would lend him the money. About to reply to the text, Nate paused when another _Beep-Beep _cut the silence.

Catherine.

"Ritz. 7pm Thursday. Wear the new suit I bought you."

Nate sighed deeply. Damn it.

* * *

Thank you for reading! There will be more. - AE


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the show or the characters. Takes place after Gossip Girl episode 2.03, "The Dark Night."

* * *

"Vanessa! This chai is fantastic. You changed the recipe, didn't you?"

Vanessa grinned at Dan. "Yup, I did – thanks for noticing."

"Hey now, that's not the only thing I noticed… you're smiling." Dan's tone was teasing but soon turned somber. "That's something I haven't seen for a while."

"Right back at you," she said pointedly. "How are you doing?"

Dan sat down at the counter of his dad's new coffee shop. "Eh, I'm okay."

Vanessa leaned toward him. "How about the uncensored version?"

"It sucks." Dan slumped in his seat. "I mean, we're broken up, but I still care about her. It's not like a light switch… I can't just turn off the way I feel. All our issues, everything we fight about – when we're together, they can be overwhelming, but when we're apart, I wonder why we make such a big deal about them." Dan fidgeted with his mug. "You know, I've been with Serena, and I've been without her, and with her is better."

"Aw, Dan," Vanessa said sympathetically. "It sounds like things are pretty rough. I was surprised you guys were back together, but even more surprised when you said you'd broken up again."

"Yeah." He paused. "Did you ever have this enormous disconnect between what you wanted and what you knew was right?"

Vanessa's face fell. "Absolutely."

"What did you do?"

"The right thing," she sighed. "And it's awful."

Recognition dawned on Dan. "Ahhh…" He looked at Vanessa, taking in just how sad and tired she looked. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Vanessa came out from behind the coffee bar and sat down next to him, clutching a latte. "I think I've told you everything about it already," she said, looking around to be sure no one else could hear them.

"I figured it was about Nate." Dan sipped his drink. "Do you think he's still… you know…?"

"Yeah, I do." Vanessa paused. "It's just so messed up. The more I think about it, the worse it seems, you know?"

"It still seems so unbelievable." Dan shook his head. "I mean, Nate Archibald is pretty much the golden boy of the Upper East Side. I'd never, and I mean NEVER have thought he'd be tangled up in something like this."

Vanessa stared at Dan, obviously working up to something. "Dan… if it was Serena in Nate's position, what would you do? Even if you knew how important her family was to her, what would you honestly do?"

Dan let out a low whistle. "Wow... that would be tough. A situation like this is so far beyond normal high school-type issues, you know?" He thought about Vanessa's question. "She'd hate me."

"What?"

"Serena." Dan cleared his throat "She'd hate me. Hate me an absurdly long time. But I dunno, I couldn't just sit back and watch her do that to herself. There are other ways." Vanessa nodded. "Like justice, honestly," Dan continued. "I understand Nate and his mom wanting to protect his Dad, but the only person losing out in this whole, incredibly perverse situation is Nate."

"I know," sighed Vanessa, rubbing her neck tiredly.

"Actually, I take that back. This is kind of weird for me to say, but I think you are losing out too. I'm not pretending to know why exactly you like Nate so much, but it's pretty clear that you do."

"You have to trust me Dan. I have my reasons, and I really do care about him."

"Vanessa," Dan said seriously, "I trust you, and I believe you. I always have, and that is rare, especially considering some of the people who have come into my life recently." Vanessa's expression softened. "At the same time, though, I think that what's going on with Nate is going to take more than just a friend helping him out, you know? There are major legal issues tied up in this. _Multiple_ major legal issues."

Vanessa was silent, thinking. "You're right, Dan," she said finally.

"About what, exactly?"

"I can't do this by myself."

* * *

Chuck checked the caller ID and smiled before quickly answering his cell. "Nathaniel! You recluse! You'd better be calling to tell me our first round is on you tomorrow at the Palace."

"Oh man, Chuck, I wish, but- "

"You're kidding me," Chuck interrupted, scowling. "You're ditching again? This is the third time in two weeks you've had to cancel. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were hiding something from me."

Nate laughed nervously. "Nah, it's just that with everything going on with my family, my mom has wanted me around more." That was a lie, Nate thought. He loved his mother, but the woman certainly had a talent for denial. Despite everything going on, she'd resumed her social schedule with somewhat alarming gusto.

"Well, tell Anne I wish her the best. And if you can, you should still try to stop by the Palace. There's an international ballet convention in town."

"Thanks, Chuck." Not wanting to make up more lies on the spot, Nate decided to end the call. "I should probably go, but I'll talk to you later."

"Alright then. See you at school tomorrow." Chuck hung up, displeased. Something wasn't right. Nate's behavior the past few weeks had been unusual, to say the least, and Chuck was suspicious. To be fair, though, Chuck knew that he'd been acting oddly too. Damn that Blair Waldorf. How had she done this to him? He felt as if he was absolutely obsessed with her – and not just sexually. She'd won him over with her perfect body and beautiful face, but also with her incredibly sharp mind. He'd never admit it to her, but she was the one person whose scheming rivaled his own. He respected and envied that. And God, he wanted her. Turning to face his laptop, he hit refresh on the Gossip Girl homepage, hoping to see some sort of update on Blair. Disappointed that there was nothing new, he rose to fix himself a drink when his phone rang again.

"Hello, Chuck?"

It was a strange number. The female voice sounded familiar, but Chuck couldn't place it. "Well, hello there. To whom do I owe this pleasure?"

"It's Vanessa, Chuck."

Still no firm recognition. It must be a former hook-up. "Ahhh yes, Vanessa. From Marquee, no? As I recall, you had quite the way with a cherry stem. I found it very intriguing."

"Cut the crap, Chuck. It's Vanessa Abrams. From Brooklyn."

"Humphrey's friend?" He'd been caught off guard and was unpleasantly surprised. "How did you get this number?"

"Why, is this line just for women you're trying to screw?" She regretted her outburst instantly. "I'm sorry, Chuck – please don't hang up, okay?"

"Give me one good reason," he growled.

"Nate."

There was something about her voice that made him pause. "I'm listening. But let me tell you, you are on dangerous ground. What the hell could you possibly have to say about him?"

Vanessa knew she had one shot at this. "Listen, Chuck. I don't even know how to put this, especially to someone like you, so I'm going to just say it. Nate is sleeping with Duchess Catherine and -"

"Good for him," Chuck cut in. "She's a hotter piece of ass and class than you'll ever be."

"He's doing it for money, Chuck!" All Vanessa could hear was breathing - Chuck was stunned absolutely silent. "Nate is sleeping with the Duchess for money. He doesn't want to, but his family's accounts are frozen and they need the money and he, he…" Vanessa tried to compose herself. "He's so stuck. And he doesn't know this, but if he stops seeing her she's going to tell the FBI where his dad is."

Chuck was bewildered. It couldn't be possible. "Where did you hear this?" he asked quietly.

"Nate told me."

"Bullshit."

"It's true!" Vanessa asserted. "He told me at Blair's party, and he was about to break it off when that woman found me and told me she'd turn in Nate's dad."

It fit. Chuck had been, well, he'd been busy elsewhere at the party. It wouldn't have occurred to him to pay attention to Vanessa even if he'd known she was there. After all, who Nate slept with was his own business. Except if… Chuck shook his head. There was no way Nate was whoring himself out to the Duchess. Was he? Chuck thought back to Nate's visit. What had he said? Ah yes, he was getting the money from someone else, but they were – as Nate put it – "Asking a lot." God… it just couldn't be. Stupid, proud Nate. "He should have taken the goddamn Victrola money," Chuck muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing, Abrams."

"I know what I'm saying sounds insane, and it is, but I swear it's true." Determined, Vanessa pressed on. "And I don't care what you do, or how you do it, but please help him. I tried but…" Vanessa trailed off. She sounded wrecked. "I won't call you again. Believe me, I wish I never had to. Goodbye, Chuck." Without waiting for a response, she hung up, finally allowing herself to cry the tears she'd been trying so hard to hold back.

Chuck could do nothing but stare at his now-silent phone while trying to piece together Nate's words and actions over the past few weeks. Troubled, he exited his suite to look for answers.

* * *

Thank you again for reading! I really appreciate it. There will be more. -- AE


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the show or the characters. Takes place after Gossip Girl episode 2.03, "The Dark Night," but after that point events in the story differ from the show.

* * *

Anne Archibald was tending to her orchids when she heard the phone ring. A moment later, one of the staff came to find her. "It's Chuck Bass, Mrs. Archibald."

"Thank you, I'll take it." Anne smoothed her skirt and picked up the receiver. "Hello Chuck. How are you?"

Chuck had spent the rest of yesterday and most of today putting together the various Nate-centric rumors he'd been hearing lately. He'd had his doubts about Vanessa's sincerity, yet a part of him feared her words were accurate. He'd spoken with Serena, who had actually been very helpful – she'd confirmed to him that Nate had, in fact, been seeing the Duchess over the summer. "Cougar-taming," she'd called it. It didn't seem that she knew anything more, though, and Chuck intended to keep it that way. Time to call Anne. "I'm very well, Mrs. Archibald," Chuck assured her. "And you?"

"I'll confess, times could be better," she sighed. "But I must say, Nate and I would be doing much worse if not for your kindness."

Chuck's heart dropped. Trying to mask his uncertainty, he replied, "It really isn't a problem, Mrs. Archibald."

"Even so, I just wanted to tell you I appreciate it. And I personally promise you that once this little misunderstanding is all straightened out and our accounts are unfrozen, I intend to pay all the money back, with interest," she added breezily.

"Of course, Mrs. Archibald, of course." Chuck tried to force his voice to remain calm, but he was reeling inside. Nate's mom thought he was lending them the money?

"Were you calling for Nate, Chuck?"

"Yes, I was." No, he wasn't, he thought. He'd called to feel Anne out and see how much she knew about the situation. He knew for a fact that Nate had to stay after school today and wouldn't be in. "I just wanted to remind Nate about meeting me at the Palace tonight."

"Alright – he did say he was going to be out tonight. You boys have a good time." She paused. "And Chuck? As a mother, I just want to say thank you for being there for Nate through all of this. I know his father's situation has been tough on him."

"That's what I'm here for."

"Well, take care Chuck."

"You too, Mrs. Archibald." Chuck hung up and flopped into a nearby armchair. So, he'd established that Nate was both seeing Catherine and lying about where he was getting the money. It was looking like Vanessa was right, and God, he needed a drink.

How had he missed this? He'd been embarrassed when Anne thanked him for being a good friend. A good friend would have noticed something like this going on. Even Serena had known who Nate was seeing, but he hadn't. Chuck had tried to help with the money, but Nate had refused his offer. He shouldn't have given up so easily, and he definitely shouldn't have given Nate attitude when he'd visited that morning with the stewardess. Chuck looked at the clock. 5pm already. He wished he hadn't organized the bar night at the Palace, but it was too late to cancel. At least he had a few hours left to make some calls.

* * *

Nate tugged uncomfortably at his suit collar. Quietly, he descended the staircase, hoping his mother wouldn't hear him leave.

"There you are Nate!" Anne exclaimed. She was in the sitting room near the bottom of the staircase, reading a novel. "I didn't hear you come in earlier."

"Yeah, I think you were on the phone or something. I'm actually headed out the door though."

"Wait a minute," Anne said, putting down her reading glasses and smiling broadly. "Look at you! You look so nice tonight! Come here so I can see."

Nate moved closer, his face flushing.

"Is this a new suit?" his mother asked.

"Yeah, I picked it up especially for tonight."

"Well," Anne said proudly, "it looks great on my handsome son." She beamed at him. "Have a great time with Chuck tonight!"

"Chuck?" Nate asked, confused.

"Yes, he called and said you were meeting him at the Palace."

"Oh, uh, yeah. The Palace."

"I will see you later Nate." Anne leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

Nate quickly exited the building and took a moment to lean against the wall and collect his thoughts. He really wished he hadn't crossed paths with his mother tonight. He felt like a piece of shit. If she knew why he was dressed up, and what he was about to do… He rubbed a hand over his face. She could never, ever find out about this. He hailed the first cab he saw and tried his best to shut the door on his conscience.

* * *

Catherine was breathing heavily underneath him. He could tell she was close. And then it happened. She was done. Relieved, he rolled off of her and laid in the bed as she caught her breath. "Mmmmm… that was wonderful," she whispered in Nate's ear.

"I'm glad," he said, and he meant it. It had been a long night. He stretched out on the bed and reached toward his boxers.

"What are you doing?" Catherine asked. Her voice had an edge to it.

"Umm… getting dressed?"

"Did I say we were done?" Nate stared at Catherine. She leaned over him. "We're not done."

Nate was puzzled. "What do you mean? I, I don't think I can give you anything more, not tonight."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, Catherine, really." Frustrated, Nate pulled on his boxers and got up from the bed. "You know, there are some things you can't control." Catherine let out a small chuckle, which just served to anger Nate even further. "I'm being serious, Catherine. I'm not a machine. I can't just give you everything you want on the spot like that. It doesn't work that way."

Catherine glared at him. "Believe me, you are not in the position to be telling me how things work. I paid you to do a job and you only delivered half. So you only get paid half."

"No, Catherine." Nate was taken aback. "We had a deal – you can't do that."

"I most certainly can."

"Please…" Nate pleaded. He hated how desperate he sounded. "I need that money. My family needs that money."

Catherine breathed deeply. "Nate, Nate. You were going to figure this out at some point, but I may as well just put it on the table right now: _I don't care_." Nate could do nothing but gape at her. "You heard me. I don't care. You'll find a way to make this up to me. In fact," she threw his crumpled dress shirt at him, "I will be telling you exactly how I want you to make this up to me. Now get dressed and get out of here."

* * *

Thanks for reading the story! There is more coming. -- AE


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the show or the characters. Takes place after Gossip Girl episode 2.03, "The Dark Night," but after that point events in the story differ from the show.

* * *

No one knew that Nelly Yuki smoked.

She didn't do it very often. Only after really big performances, to calm herself down. Tonight had been a really big performance. She'd been personally asked to play the violin at a gala fundraiser to benefit the Humane Society. Although she'd played her piece flawlessly, she was still feeling a bit on edge. She'd performed at the Ritz many times before, and her preferred place to escape to was a small service alley on the side of the building. Her parents would kill her if they ever found out what she was doing. When they asked where she disappeared to after she played, she lied and said she liked to do some private meditation. They'd approved of that.

She'd been standing outside a good ten minutes when a nearby door opened. A disheveled figure exited quickly. The man was breathing hard and seemed very upset, almost dangerous. Nelly began to get scared – she was all alone in an alley with a strange man. Feeling panicky, she began inching her way back to the door. Suddenly, a street light illuminated the man's face. Nelly gasped.

* * *

Nate left Catherine's room in a rush. A lot of shitty things had happened to him over the past year, but he couldn't remember ever feeling this physically upset. God, he just wanted to punch something. Nate jammed his finger into the elevator button, willing it to arrive more quickly. He needed to get out of here – the faster the better.

Alone in the elevator, he looked down at himself. He'd left his belt in the room. His dress shirt was only half-buttoned. And really, he couldn't care less – he just wanted out. The elevator doors couldn't open fast enough. Nate knew he couldn't go through the lobby in his current state. He pushed past an elegantly dressed couple and walked briskly toward the kitchen area. Spotting a small emergency exit, he swung the door open and strode out into the cool night air. Holding his head in his hands, he gulped in air and tried to process what had just happened.

"Oh my god, Nate? Nate Archibald?"

Instinctually, Nate turned in the direction of the voice and saw Nelly Yuki standing in the alley against the side of the building, hastily putting out a cigarette.

"Nate, what are you doing here?"

He ignored her. Pretended not to hear her. Quickened his pace until he realized he was running and was now blocks away from the Ritz and Catherine and Nelly Yuki, and whatever the hell else the night could throw at him. In his haste, he hadn't even noticed Nelly snapping a picture with her camera phone.

* * *

Chuck hit his alarm clock and rolled out of bed. Normally, after a Palace bar night he'd be dead to the world. He hadn't drunk that much last night, though... he'd been too worried. He had the staff fix him some strong coffee and settled into his morning routine. Logging onto his laptop, he checked his e-mail and opened up the Gossip Girl webpage. "Oh my God!" he exclaimed aloud, spilling his coffee. "Oww! Shit! I need a towel!"

Serena heard him before the staff did. "Chuck! Are you okay?" she asked, running into his room with a bath towel.

"I just spilled coffee," he grumbled, dabbing gingerly at his lap with the towel.

"Well, at least there's nothing down there to hurt," Serena smirked, gesturing toward his crotch.

"Witty, sis." Chuck was relieved to see that he hadn't gotten any coffee on his computer.

"Whoa, is that Nate?" Serena pointed at the screen. "What's Nate doing on the front of Gossip Girl?" She peered closer. "He looks awful," she said softly.

Chuck snapped the laptop shut. "Thanks for the towel. Are we riding to class together?"

Serena looked confused. "Yes, Chuck, of course."

"Alright, then. I'll see you in half an hour at the limo." Serena left the room, throwing Chuck a concerned look. As soon as the door shut, he reopened the laptop. There it was on the front of Gossip Girl – an awkward picture of Nate shielding half of his face, dressed in a suit outside the Ritz. Chuck quickly read the caption.

_Hello Upper East Siders! Spotted at the Ritz-Carlton last night: Nate Archibald, looking down and out. Why the long face, Nate? Trouble with the mystery woman… or the missing father? Poor little Ritz boy!_

Chuck immediately dialed Nate's number. Straight to message. Chuck cursed and called up his private investigator. "Hello, Mike? It's Chuck again. How is that search coming?" He listened intently. "Well, keep looking. Pathology like that doesn't just appear. There has to be something in her past that she doesn't want us to find out." He hung up the phone and glanced at his computer screen. There was something disturbing about Nate's picture – Chuck had never seen his friend looking so troubled. "You should have told me, Nate," he mumbled under his breath.

* * *

Last night was a horrible blur. After fleeing the Ritz, Nate had wandered the streets for what must have been hours, trying to alternatively sort out and totally avoid his thoughts. By the time the sun started peeking out over the city, he had walked all the way back home. Trying not to wake anyone, Nate quietly slipped inside and fell into bed fully dressed. It was well past noon by the time he woke up, and the first thing he did was take a very long, very hot shower. He couldn't believe last night had really happened. Thinking back on the whole thing, he was amazed he'd been able to make it home without getting mugged. One thing was certain, though – he wasn't going anywhere this weekend. Feigning illness wouldn't be too difficult – he felt plenty sick as it was.

A few hours and many DVDs later, a staff member knocked on Nate's door. "There's a phone call for you."

"Who is it?" asked Nate warily.

"One of your teachers from school. She says she wants to speak with you about an assignment you missed."

Nate opened his door and picked up the receiver. "Thank you," he said, watching as the staff member retreated down the hall. "Hello?"

"Hello, Nathaniel."

The smooth, even voice was like a punch to the gut. "Catherine? I can't believe you just called this number."

"You weren't answering your phone."

"You shouldn't have called here," Nate said angrily.

"I heard it through the grapevine that you got spotted leaving the Ritz last night," Catherine said coolly.

"Yeah, well, there was a girl from my school there." Nate shrugged. "I couldn't help it."

"You know, Nate, considering your apparent lack of common sense, it's very lucky for you that you grew up so attractive and wealthy." Catherine paused. "Oh wait, one of those is gone now. You'd better start being more careful. We can start next weekend."

Nate grit his teeth, swearing to himself that this would be the last time, that he'd find a different way after this. "Fine. When and where do you want to meet?"

"You misunderstand me. I want us to spend the entire three-day weekend together, Nate."

"What? How did you even know I had a three-day weekend?"

"Marcus told me," the Duchess said matter-of-factly. "He and Blair are apparently heading to New England to look at the foliage. I thought this might be a good chance for us to get away together, too."

"I can't just drop everything and come away for a sex weekend," Nate retorted.

"That's exactly what you're going to do." Catherine smiled. "You _owe_ me, remember?"

* * *

Thank you very much for reading! There's more to come. -- AE


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the show or the characters. Takes place after Gossip Girl episode 2.03, "The Dark Night," but after that point events in the story differ from the show.

* * *

Nate couldn't believe it was Monday morning already. He was sitting in the kitchen sipping orange juice when his mother walked in. "I'm so glad to see that you're feeling better, dear," Anne said, patting Nate's shoulder affectionately.

"Thanks Mom." Nate cleared his throat. "Uh, listen, I had to ask you something. This week we have a three-day weekend at school and, um, Chuck asked me if I'd go on a trip with him." Nate waited for Anne to respond, willing her to have reservations regarding the idea. A normal parent would object, he thought. There had been a time when he was grateful his parents were so distant. It was sort of thrilling at first, being able to stay out as late as he wanted, drink, be with girls, smoke up… As circumstances had turned more serious, however, Nate found himself wishing his parents' interest in him extended beyond their own reputations. And now even those were shot to hell.

"A trip with Chuck? The whole three-day weekend?" Anne asked. Nate nodded and leaned forward, hoping she would give him the excuse he so desperately needed to refuse Catherine. "Why, that's so nice, dear!" Nate's face fell. "Chuck has been so helpful lately."

"Yeah, he really has," Nate said flatly. He drained his orange juice. Turning to his mother, almost daring her to disapprove, he pushed the subject further. "We're going out of the country, you know. Will you need to talk to Mr. Bass about it?"

"Oh no dear, I don't think that will be necessary," Anne replied, waving her hand. "You and Chuck have gone on plenty of trips before. I'm excited for you."

"Thanks, Mom," Nate said quietly. As he gathered up his things and left for school, he thought about his mother. Anne had never been an overly involved parent. Since his father's arrest, though, she'd become even more remote. It was obvious to Nate that she was being heavily medicated. He'd seen the prescription bottles, and he'd heard her crying alone when she thought he was out. The thought of her having to endure any more hardship was very upsetting.

Nate was at his locker, still deep in thought, when he felt a hand clap him on the back. "Nathaniel, you sneaky son of a bitch," Chuck said, shaking his head. Nate turned around to face him. "Here I thought you were staying in, baking cookies with Anne and what do I see? Your out-and-about face on Gossip Girl. Then, you don't return my calls all weekend. I don't take kindly to being blown off."

"It's not what you think," Nate said weakly.

"I actually have no idea what to think, so why don't you enlighten me?"

"My mom and I had to have dinner with someone from the bank."

"Please – at the Ritz? You are putting the 'lie' in enlighten, Nate." In one smooth motion, Chuck reached into Nate's bag and pocketed his cell phone. Nate didn't feel a thing.

"Listen Chuck, I'm sorry, okay? I promise you, as soon as things settle down, and I really, really hope they do soon, we'll hang out again. Okay?"

"Sure, Nate," Chuck said sarcastically. "So sorry to hear that our friendship is cutting into your busy social schedule." Chuck watched as Nate rolled his eyes. "I have to go. We're not done with this, you know."

"Fine." Nate slammed his locker shut and watched Chuck stride away.

As soon as he was out of view, Chuck ducked into the nearest men's room and retrieved Nate's cell phone. Quickly scrolling through the text messages, he found what he was looking for.

"Friday 9am. A5. Bring passport."

Chuck opened his own phone. "Hello, Mike? I have something for you." Mike, Chuck's private investigator, wrote down the gate number and promised he'd have the destination figured out within the hour. He then proceeded to boast that he'd uncovered something major. By the time Mike breathlessly relayed his big news, Chuck was openly grinning.

This was going to be merciless.

* * *

"Hey kid, you 18?"

Chuck shifted his attention from a nearby rack of DVDs and eyed the large, balding man behind the counter. "Sure. Mike said you'd be expecting me."

The man furrowed his brow as he looked Chuck up and down. Suddenly, he began laughing. "You're Mike's guy? Wow. I was expecting someone older. Without a school uniform." Chuck glanced down at himself. He'd left school as soon as he'd gotten off the phone with Mike. His driver had been very surprised by the destination Chuck requested. They were a long way from the Upper East Side. Chuck noticed that the bald man had gotten up from the counter to pull the shades and lock the front door. The man then went to the back of the store and began unlocking a door. "My name's Saul, by the way. You can come on back," he said to Chuck, motioning him to follow. "I hope you can handle this, kid. You ever even seen a naked woman before?"

Chuck snorted. "You have no idea. I used to own Victrola, you know." The man stared at him blankly. "It's a burlesque club," Chuck clarified.

"That don't mean nothin' to me, kid." Before opening the door, Saul suddenly whirled around, all six feet and four inches of him towering intimidatingly over Chuck. "What _does_ mean somethin' to me is that you keep your goddamn junior high mouth shut about this."

"I think I know another thing that will mean something to you," Chuck replied evenly, pulling out a wad of cash and pressing it into Saul's palm. "This is half of the amount we agreed upon. It's yours to keep, regardless. But if what you're about to show me ends up being the item I'm looking for, then - well, let's just say I can be an extremely generous man."

Saul nodded. "Right this way."

Chuck let out a long, low whistle. He was surrounded by pornography. All different types in all different media – tapes, photos, magazines, slides, DVDs. "This is the biggest back room I've ever seen."

"Thank you," Saul said proudly. "This is just level two. My best customers get to access this. I have a lot of collector's items, you know. What you're looking for, though? That's level three. Only a few people know about it," he held up the cash Chuck just gave him, "and they all pay very well. Just to make it clear, the Feds definitely don't know about this." Chuck watched in fascination as Saul bent down and began removing a floorboard. Stored under the floor were a number of unmarked VHS tapes.

"Clever," Chuck commented.

Saul shrugged. "It does the job. I ain't never been busted." He stopped rifling through the VHS tapes and held one up. "I think this is your girl."

"I hope so," Chuck replied.

"I remember this one," Saul reminisced as he walked, tape in hand, toward a nearby television with a VCR. "God, it's hot. This girl is a freak, and has a hell of a body. When this came out, I kept hoping she'd make some more, you know? Couldn't wait to see what else she'd do." His tone darkened as he faced Chuck. "Listen, kid. I don't know who she is, but she must have friends in high places. This tape got buried deep. I'm talking like I could get sued, my shop could get closed, or worse if anybody knew I still had this, understand?"

"Perfectly," Chuck said, his anticipation growing. Saul popped in the tape. As images began appearing on the screen, Chuck grinned in smug satisfaction. It was Catherine. Younger, pre-nose and boob job Catherine, but definitely her. Every single inch of her… having incredibly kinky sex with a man… oh, and then a woman, too. "I think I've seen enough," Chuck declared. He pulled out even more cash and handed it to Saul. "I'll be taking that tape. It's exactly what I needed."

Tape in hand, Chuck exited the store and strolled confidently back to the limo. "Back home," he said to the driver. Still smiling, he called up the private investigator and congratulated him on a job well done. Mike had been busy while Chuck was in the porn shop - he'd already e-mailed Nate and Catherine's flight itinerary to Chuck. All of Chucks plans were falling into place. He had just a few more details to iron out. Dialing home, he requested to speak with his personal assistant.

"Was my summer attire already stored?" Chuck asked, waiting for the reply. He frowned slightly. "Pity. I have sudden use for it. Oh, and clear the jet for a private flight this Friday morning – I'll be needing it."

* * *

Thanks for reading! There will be more. -- AE


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the show or the characters. Takes place after Gossip Girl episode 2.03, "The Dark Night," but after that point events in the story differ from the show.

* * *

Nate shifted in his seat on the plane, trying to get more comfortable. Physically comfortable, that is – he knew that no amount of fidgeting would alleviate the real source of his discomfort, who was seated next to him. Catherine leaned toward Nate. "It's been so long since I've flown commercial. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but my husband has business in Europe for the next three months and is using the jet full time." She sighed and reclined her seat a bit. "We're in first class, at least."

"It's fine, Catherine," Nate said, moving to retrieve his iPod from his bag.

"Wait, Nate," Catherine said, touching his arm. "I've been thinking about it, and I may have overreacted last week."

iPod forgotten, Nate turned toward her. "What do you mean?"

"At the Ritz. I may have been overly upset, given what happened. Consider this trip as a sort of apology for my behavior. I'm looking forward to putting any bad feelings behind us," she ran her hand down Nate's arm and gave him a flirtatious smile, "and moving onto the kissing and making up stage."

Unnerved, Nate tried his best to smile. "Alright. That sounds good."

"You'll love Turks and Caicos, Nate. It's like a paradise," Catherine explained. "Maybe we'll be able to recapture a little bit of that beachy, Hamptons feel."

A stewardess approached them. "Would you and your son like a beverage?" Catherine's face tightened. "He's not my son," she said, openly sliding her hand up and down Nate's thigh. "Oh!" the stewardess exclaimed, visibly flustered. "Um, what will you be having?"

"Nothing for me, thanks," said Nate, putting on his iPod and enjoying the opportunity to ignore Catherine for a while. What was she doing? He wasn't buying her sudden sweetness act. Frankly, it made him more anxious than when she was her normal cold self. He figured that she had a plan, that it involved him, and that it would be unpleasant.

No matter how bad things got over this trip, though, there was finally an end in sight. Nate had decided that this three-day weekend would be the last time he ever interacted with Catherine. He hadn't told her yet, but he had made up his mind.

* * *

Nate could feel the sun beating down on him as he reclined in the beach chair. He and Catherine had come straight to the resort from the airport. He shifted to a seated position, removed his iPod, and lightly touched Catherine on the shoulder. "I'm going for a swim," he told her.

He walked down to the surf and waded in until he could no longer touch the sand at the bottom. Nate had always loved being active – a part of him wanted to start swimming and not look back until he was halfway around the island. He glanced toward Catherine's beach chair, then repositioned himself so he was facing the horizon. God, it was gorgeous here. He'd always loved the ocean. So had his father. When he'd been young, his family would come to the Caribbean on vacation. Nate remembered entire days spent playing in the ocean with his Dad, going for runs, and getting tan. Sometimes, he and his father went out during the night with a flashlight. It was like a whole different world when the sun was down – there were small creatures scurrying in the sand, and all the stars seemed so bright.

"Nate!" Catherine's voice broke Nate's reverie. She was standing by the edge of the water, and Nate noticed that she had removed her bikini top. "Nate, I need you to oil me up!" He rolled his eyes, grateful for the distance he'd put between them. "I'll be right in!" he yelled. He swam slowly back to shore and followed Catherine back to the chairs. She handed him the suntan oil and pulled her hair out of the way as he started on her back. "You were out there pretty far," Catherine commented. "For a moment, I thought you were going to visit your father."

Nate stopped rubbing in the lotion. "What did you say?"

Catherine peered at him through her sunglasses. "Dominica's just a few islands away."

"I don't want to talk about this," Nate said curtly. He put down the lotion and replaced his iPod. Suddenly, he felt a tug at his ear. "Ow!" Catherine had pulled one of his earbuds out. "What are you doing?"

Catherine lowered her sunglasses. "I do not like your attitude right now. Most people would give anything to be in a place like this with a woman like me. So you had better suck it up and enjoy the view because, from where you're sitting, it could be very fleeting."

Nate stared at Catherine for a long moment before pulling out the other earbud, grabbing his flip-flops, and storming up to the room. It wasn't until he reached their private cabana that he looked out the window and saw Catherine walking after him, bikini top in hand. She burst through the door. "I've tried being nice, Nate, but apparently you don't respond to that."

This was it. Nate was so sick of everything - he was doing this now. "Catherine, I've been doing a lot of thinking about this deal we have, and I think that what we're doing is wrong."

She cocked her head to the side. "Funny. It seems very right to me."

Nate closed his eyes in frustration and shook his head. "No, Catherine, I'm serious. I don't want to do this any more. When we get back to New York, it's over."

Catherine remained quiet for an uncomfortably long time before finally responding. "You'd better be careful what you say to me, Nate. You wouldn't want me running off and telling the FBI about Dominica, now would you?"

Nate froze. "What did you say?"

Catherine slowly made her way over to the window where he was standing. "I think you heard me very well."

"Oh my God…" Nate's shoulders slumped in defeat. "You're not joking."

"Have I ever struck you as the joking type?" Catherine wrapped her arm around Nate's upper body seductively, her bare chest pressing up against him. "I had to insure my investment. I can't just have one of my favorite products discontinued while I still have need for it." Nate tried to shrug off her touch, but instead she just gripped his shoulder harder. "I hope you understand what I am saying to you."

Nate was floored, and struggling just to put words together. "How... how can you do this?" he sputtered. "All of it. Right from the beginning." He finally broke her grip and quickly walked to the other side of the room. "You know, the first time I saw you, I really liked you. You were this gorgeous, sexy woman. And now – you're like some monster. Why would you do this? How the hell can you treat someone this way?"

Catherine smirked. "Oh Nate, poor thing. You want to point fingers? Let's point. We could start with you. You could have said no."

"I damn well should have," Nate retorted.

Unfazed, Catherine continued. "We could take it back a little further, too, couldn't we? To Daddy? Mr. Archibald didn't have to flee to the Caribbean. And he certainly didn't have to embezzle all of those funds." She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "It's a pity, really. Although, can you blame him? He was just with Anne for her money." She looked Nate up and down. "Like father like son, I suppose."

"Shut up." Nate's voice was low and serious. "Don't talk about him like that."

"Oh please, Nate, I can speak to you however I want. You are whoring yourself to me for money." He flinched. "Aw, do you not like the way that sounds?" She stepped closer, menacingly. "Well, you'd better get used to it, because it is exactly what you'll be doing for the foreseeable future, so long as you and your mother intend to keep living on the Upper East Side. She's very lucky to have a son like you. So devoted." Nate was seething, and Catherine noticed. "You need to know that money is power, Nate, and it seems that you've lost all of yours."

Nate had heard the term "blind with range" before, but had never experienced it until now. He felt so furious and cornered. He couldn't believe what Catherine had just said and done. His plan to leave, to get out of this mess was now shot to hell. Nate couldn't even speak.

_Knock-knock_.

"Is that the door?" Catherine looked at the clock. "It's 1pm already? I ordered us a couple's massage." She looked angrily at Nate. "God knows I need one now. Answer the door, Nate."

Nate walked to the door, absolutely seething. He was seriously considering just walking out and not coming back. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when he opened the door, though.

"Hello Nate," Chuck said, smiling.

* * *

Thank you very much for reading! There will be more. -- AE


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the show or the characters. Takes place after Gossip Girl episode 2.03, "The Dark Night," but after that point events in the story differ from the show.

* * *

"CHUCK?!" Nate could do nothing but stare in disbelief as his friend made his way into the room.

Chuck took in the scene before him. Directly in front of him was Nate. He'd seen his friend thousands of times, but he'd never seen him looking quite like this. He was wearing only a pair of swim trunks, his hair was disheveled, and he had the strangest look on his face. It appeared as if he'd been very worked up about something -- eyes wild, face red -- but hadn't allowed his anger to reach a full culmination. Chuck suspected his sudden knock at the door may have had something to do with that.

Then there was Catherine, standing on the other side of the room wearing only a skimpy pair of bikini bottoms. It would have been magnificently distracting if only the situation wasn't so serious, Chuck thought with a twinge of regret. Her face was something else entirely, though -- barely concealed rage was radiating back at Chuck.

"I'm calling security," Catherine hissed. "How dare you enter this room?"

"Funny," Chuck commented with a smirk. "From what I understand, you didn't always dislike having three people in a room."

Doubt clouded Catherine's features, but she continued. "Shut your mouth. How could you have possibly found us..." She looked at Nate. "Oh. I see." She got up from the bed and approached Nate. "You sneaky little bastard of a child. You couldn't keep your stupid, stupid mouth shut, could you?"

"Don't talk to him like that," Chuck said, his voice low.

Catherine never took her eyes off Nate. "Even now, you're not man enough to deal with this yourself, are you?"

Nate stared her down. "I had no idea he was coming. I didn't tell him anything." He turned to Chuck. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Chuck cleared his throat. "We can talk about that later. In the meantime, Catherine, maybe you should cover up." He threw a nearby robe at her, which she caught and tied angrily around her waist. "That's better..." Chuck leered as he looked her up and down, "in some ways. Nathaniel's telling the truth, you know -- he didn't tell me a thing about this sordid, illegal little arrangement you have going on here."

Embarrassed, Nate interrupted him. "You were never supposed to find out about this... no one was."

Chuck gave Nate a hard look. "We are going to talk later. But right now, the Duchess and I have some business to discuss. Alone."

"I'm not going anywhere, Chuck!" Nate could feel his anger rising again. He was so shocked and grateful to see Chuck, but he'd been pushed to his absolute limit and was sick of being treated like a nonentity. "I am staying right here, and you are going to say whatever it is you came here to say."

"That's the most backbone I've ever seen your friend show, you know," Catherine told Chuck. "Keep it up, Nate -- you just might turn me on." She turned her attention to Chuck again. "You have no idea how fun he's been to play with. At my complete, utter disposal. That's not something I'm about to give up."

Chuck had to force himself to take a deep breath just to avoid clocking the woman. "Sit down."

"Excuse me?" Catherine's tone belied her outrage.

"I said sit down." There was something dangerous in Chuck's voice, and even Catherine could sense it. "We're going to watch a little movie. I think you'll recognize someone."

Nate was still reeling as he watched Chuck pull out a DVD and insert it into his laptop. From where he was standing, he couldn't see what was on the screen so he watched Catherine's reactions closely. Over the course of ten seconds, Catherine's wariness changed to pure shock.

"Where the fuck did you get this?" Catherine demanded. Chuck's lips curled into a smile, but he said nothing. Catherine slammed the laptop shut. "We're done here."

"Now, now, that's not the reaction I was expecting." said Chuck, "It's just getting good. I particularly like when your friend comes in. I mean, you seem really happy to see her..." He looked at the fuming Catherine. "I was wondering how the Duke would like it." Chuck drew close to Catherine. "I'm thinking you'd rather part ways with my friend than risk having your husband watch you get screwed by..." Chuck's voice trailed off. Catherine was laughing. "What the hell is so funny?"

"That's your big plan? Find my sex tape and threaten to tell my husband?" she sneered. "Please. He already knows."

Nate was incredulous. "What? You told your husband about some porno you made?"

Catherine sat back down on the bed. "There are a lot of things you don't know about life, Nathaniel."

Chuck thought quickly. "Even if your husband knows, Page 6 doesn't. Neither do my contacts at the London Daily Mail."

Catherine cocked her head to the side. "You're bluffing."

"I really doubt it," Nate said.

"I'd listen to Nathaniel," Chuck commented. "There's really no way you can spin something like this to your advantage. The original tape isn't exactly "artsy," and neither are the DVD copies I had made. Not to mention those pesky statutory rape charges."

Catherine's eyes narrowed. "Don't you think the Archibald name has been dragged through the tabloids enough? You wouldn't risk associating your friend's name with all of this smut."

Chuck stroked his chin. "Ah, but young Nathaniel is a juvenile. Legally, his name will be kept out of the papers."

Catherine smirked. "I think we both know that legality is not an obstacle here. If I wanted to make the public aware of Nate's identity, his picture would be in every tabloid from here to Britain."

"So what?" Chuck and Catherine turned to look at Nate. "So fucking what, Catherine? Yeah, I'm embarrassed that I ever agreed to this shitty deal with you, and if no one ever found out about it, all the better. But if you think you're going to blackmail me into keeping this up out of fear of upholding my reputation, forget it." Empowered, Nate continued. "My whole life, that's all my parents worried about. Look where it got them. If my name gets printed in some tabloid, it will be worth it if I never have to see you again."

The room was silent. After a moment, Catherine spoke. "Nate… do you really hate me that much?" Nate didn't respond. "I did care for you, you know."

"No you didn't! You were blackmailing me!" Nate was still angry but was thrown a bit by Catherine's contrite demeanor.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Nate." Catherine said with a sigh. "That tape is one of those things. I don't think a man can ever realize what it's like to be a young, naive woman desperate to escape her life. Obviously, I made some terrible choices along the way. The Duke literally rescued me and accepted me despite my past. You have no idea what it's like to live a life where sex is your only commodity. With the Duke, it was so refreshing to be appreciated for other things. It was a relief not to be pressured or coerced into having sex… at first. After ten years, though…" She looked out the window. "Let's just say that when you came along, you gave me something that I hadn't had in years. I couldn't give that up."

Nate sat down next to her on the bed. "I feel bad that men treated you like crap, Catherine, but why would you turn around and do the exact same thing to me? I mean, you know how awful it feels to just be used for one thing." He shook his head. "You made me feel so cheap – I can't believe you would do that to me, especially after everything that's happened to you."

"I'm not sure what to tell you, Nate, I -"

Catherine was interrupted by the clicking of computer keys. Chuck looked up from his laptop. "Oh, don't let me interrupt this tender moment. I was making sure that the photo I just e-mailed to myself came out alright." He grinned. "It did." He had silently snapped a camera photo of Nate and Catherine next to each other on the bed, and was pleased at the results.

"Was that really necessary?" Catherine asked.

"I needed insurance that you would leave Nate alone," Chuck replied. "And that you would keep your mouth shut about a certain Archibald's whereabouts." Catherine gaped at him. "Yes, I knew about that blackmail scheme, too." Chuck looked at Catherine. She seemed different – resigned, even. "I think we can all agree that we're done here." Nate nodded and got up from the bed while Catherine remained sitting. Chuck reached into the interior pocket of his blazer and produced an envelope, which he handed to Catherine. "Open it. Inside you'll find a first-class ticket to London. I'm sure the Duke will be thrilled to have you join him in England."

Catherine glared at him. "You can't be serious."

Chuck smiled. "If your people are half as good as my people, you'll have everything you need shipped to London before you even get there." His smile disappeared. "I never want to see you or hear from you again."

Catherine faced Nate. "And tell me, do you feel the same?"

Nate nodded. "I do. This needs to be the end, Catherine."

When they would talk about this moment later, both Chuck and Nate would agree that, for a few long, awkward minutes, it appeared as if Catherine was going to say something. She would walk toward the window, then turn around to face them, open her mouth, but then close it. Finally, she simply stood in the middle of the room and shook her head. Slowly, she went up to Nate and gave him a long kiss. "Goodbye, Nathaniel," she whispered. She picked up the envelope with the tickets. "I think you two need to leave now. I'll be on the plane."

Chuck glared at her. "I'll be making sure of that."

Nate quickly gathered his few belongings and left Catherine's cabana with Chuck, never even looking back. Dazed, he followed Chuck's lead down the beach, until finally they had reached a small, almost empty oceanfront bar. As Nate slumped into a chair, Chuck ordered two beers from the bar, then sat down next to his friend.

"I can't believe it's over," Nate said. He leaned toward Chuck. "How did you find out about all of this?"

Chuck was quiet. "I have my ways."

"Not good enough, Chuck. I want to know exactly how you knew."

Chuck sighed and rolled his eyes. "It was Vanessa, okay?"

Nate was surprised. "Vanessa? Really?"

"Yeah." Chuck sipped his beer. "She called me up, really upset. Said she'd tried helping but it didn't work. So she called me."

"Well, I'm actually glad she did." Nate nodded toward Chuck. "Thank you. I owe you, big time."

Chuck cocked an eyebrow. "Let's keep the payback strictly monetary, shall we?"

Nate shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "Damn Chuck, it's a little soon for jokes, okay?"

"Sorry." Chuck had finished his beer, and was peeling off the label. "So how did you get mixed up with Catherine in the first place?"

Nate groaned. "It's a long story. Can we save it for the plane?" He paused. "You did take the plane here, right?"

Chuck smiled. "Of course. Air Bass leaves at 7pm tonight, so we better make the most of our last few hours." He rose to get more beer.

"Hey Chuck, before you get up, do you have your phone on you? Mine doesn't work here." Chuck reached in his pocket and tossed his cell phone to Nate before heading to the bar. Nate nervously dialed a number, and was almost relieved when it went straight to voicemail. He didn't say much, but it was enough.

"Hi Vanessa? It's Nate. It's done… everything's done. Thank you. I'll be seeing you soon."

* * *

**THE END**

Thank you for reading the story! I hope you enjoyed it! -- AE


End file.
